Stop and Search

All of us want to live in a community that is safe, tolerant and free from crime.

To make sure this happens, the police sometimes have to stop people and ask them to account for their actions or presence in an area. Sometimes the police may also need to carry out a search of a person's clothes or property.

The police can stop and search people to detect crime and help make our neighbourhoods safe. Searches are only carried out where there are reasonable grounds to do so and if they suspect you are carrying:

drugs

weapons

stolen property

items which could be used to commit crime, terrorist act or damage property